The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has suspended his installation ceremony as the Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) indefinitely, following the death of Alaafin of Oyoland, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who was expected to coronate him during his 60th birthday.
Gbajabiamila noted that it would be uncultured for preparation for the event slated for May 27th, to intensify after the highly revered traditional ruler died in the country.
The speaker’s announcement was contained in a statement released on Sunday, barely 24 hours after Oba Adeyemi was certified dead by medical experts in the country.
In the statement released by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, he explained that the monarch died before the distribution of invitation cards for the event.
According to the statement “You will recall that his Royal Highness, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III communicated the conferment of the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila through an appointment letter dated September 7, 2021, and presented to the Speaker on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the National Assembly, Abuja, by members of the Oyomesi Council led by the Bashorun of Oyo Kingdom, High Chief Olayinka Ayoola, who is the traditional Prime Minister of Oyo Kingdom and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu.
“Upon which the Speaker, in turn, accepted the appointment with gratitude to God. However, due to the tight work schedule of the Speaker, the Chieftaincy ceremony could not hold throughout 2021, until this year when the date of May 27, 2022, was agreed with the palace but as God in his majesty will have it the revered monarch passed on Friday night before the distribution of Invitation cards for the event (May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdaus).
“Naturally, the event can no longer hold as the Speaker, the entire Yoruba race, Nigerians home and abroad mourn the demise of the widely respected Monarch.”
Alaafin died over a month before Gbajabiamila’s chieftaincy conferment ceremony, which was part of activities to mark the lawmaker’s 60th birthday.
Gbajabiamila was conferred with the traditional title of Aare Baasofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland) by the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in September 2021.
An invitation card of the event that surfaced online shows that the installation is slated to take place on Friday, May 27, 2022, with the All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu, named as the Chairman of the occasion.
Also, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was slated to be the Royal Father of the Day while Chief Commander, Ebenezer Obey and K1 De Ultimate have been named as the musicians to entertain guests at the event.
